Welcome to
kanthari TALKS

23 Solutions for social problems
Change-makers from 12 countries

13,14 DECEMBER 2024

What are kanthari TALKS ?

kanthari TALKS are the culmination of our intensive, hands on, seven month social leadership program. Throughout the kanthari program, our participants from around the world work on turning their dreams of social change into a tangible and implementable action plan. These change makers then go back to their communities armed with the tools they need to challenge the status quo and build their dream projects.

Countdown Started

Meet the 2024 kanthari TALKS speakers

Hover over the pictures or click the button to learn more

Blaise Ngwana

Cameroon
Blaise uses art for peacebuilding in Conflict ridden Cameroon 

Caren Jobita

Kenya

Sustainable waste management – using Black Soldier Fly Larvae in Nyalenda slum

David Wayi

Uganda

David works empowers Hearing impaired children

Enoque de Carvalho

Angola

empowerment of people with disabilities

Eric Wa Mwenge

DR Congo

Peace building in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Gabriela Zambrana Méndez

Bolivia

restorative practices, conflict resolution, and violence prevention actions within educational institutions.

Fransisca Wulandari

Indonesia

@talkmentalhealth.id is an initiative to break stigma, and change perceptions of mental health among young people

Gloria Anne Achieng

Kenya

education, skill training, and psychological support of children involved in conflict with the law

Jestina Gandawa

Zimbabwe

support to orphans, child-headed families, and children in violence-prone communities.

Jethro Christopher

Nigeria

Digital skills training, internships, and job placements, empowering marginalized youth

Kenneth Gitari

Kenya

Aims to build the esteem and well-being of vulnerable children and empower parents

Mala Sonawadekar

India

Strengthen the existing Child Care Institutions in which children in need of care and protection under the law are kept

Maria Opolot

Uganda

Child Welfare and Protection – comprehensive legal assistance, advocacy, and rehabilitation through psychosocial support

MJ - Maria Juliet

India

 

Animal Rescue and Natural farming – educate and empower individuals and children

Prakash Chandra Dangi

India

Children – youth empowerment in govt schools

Priyanka Shahi

Nepal

Support Nepalese migrant workers, providing virtual and in-person services such as counseling, psychotherapy, and community support.

Shrishail Birajdar

India

Promoting a reading culture among youth in marginalized communities.

Sijo Varghese

India

Empowerment of people who have spinal cord damage

Solange Ndip Tanyi

Cameroon

Support of survivors of sexual violence and prevention of rape.

Susanna Simango

Malawi

Empowering marginalized women through training and support to become clean energy entrepreneurs.

Teopista Nyachwo

 

Uganda

Vocational and entrepreneurial skills training for vulnerable women and youth

Timothy Munguci

 

Uganda

Vocational training in computer literacy, carpentry, welding, music, and entrepreneurship for unemployed youth

Tudu Prasanth

India

Address issues faced by tribals – illegal land grabbing, women’s health, superstitions, and lack of educational opportunities.

Speakers from Around the World

Speakers come from Angola, Bolivia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Exciting times: For many of the participants it is the first time to be on a stage giving a public speech and most of them
English is not their native language! 
So let’s encourage them the best we can!

Livestream

kanthari-TALKS featured on kanthariTV, showcases inspiring stories of change-makers from diverse backgrounds who have overcome adversity to drive social impact. These videos highlight graduates of the kanthari leadership program, who share their unique experiences and innovative solutions to pressing global issues. Through personal narratives, each speaker offers insight into their journey, fostering empathy and encouraging viewers to engage in meaningful social transformation.The platform serves as a powerful tool to amplify the voices of those working at the grassroots level to create a more just and inclusive world.

Program

kanthari TALKS Day One - Friday 13-12-2024

The dream school (09:30-10:40)

Challenging the status quo! These bold change-makers are reimagining school and education to ignite new paths for future generations of learners.

Prashant Tudu from India/Jharkhand
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 09:30- 09:50 IST

Tudu is from the Santhalese tribe and has experienced discrimination in school. Despite all challenges, he completed his studies in anthropology and tribal culture and is now ready to offer a new learning path for tribal children.

Kenneth Munene Gitari from Kenya/Kirinyaga
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 09:55- 10:15 IST

Kenneth comes from a rural part of Kenya where children grow up with the feeling that they are inferior. Kenneth plans to change this by starting an after-school program.

Prakash Chandra Dangi from India/Rajasthan
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 10:20- 10:40 IST

Seeing friends from Adivasi and Dalit communities trapped in early marriages, Prakash knew education was essential to change the conditions. Thus, he decided to start an NGO to provide quality education to students from marginalized communities.

Redefining resilience (11:10-12:20)

Three women are breaking barriers and bridging worlds.

Priyanka Shahi from Nepal
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 11:10- 11:30 IST

In search of better opportunities to support her family, Priyanka moved to Australia without realizing the difficulties of surviving in a foreign country. Based on her experiences struggling with mental health issues, she wants to offer psychosocial support for migrants like herself and help returnees find their way back into their home country.

Jestina from Zimbabwe
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 11:35- 11:55 IST

Jestina grew up as an orphan. Longing for a family of her own, she desperately wanted to become a mother. Since she couldn’t have children, Jestina faced cruel stigma from society. Now she has founded an organization for childless women and orphans to challenge the stigma in Zimbabwean society.

Fransisca Christanti Tri Wulandari from Indonesia
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 12:00- 12:20 IST

Once battling anxiety and self-harm, Fransisca found healing through friendship, mentorship, and art. Now she’s dedicated to creating a safe space for others to speak freely about mental health.

Empower young minds(12:50- 1335)

Two change-makers share how challenges in their childhood motivated them to assist youngsters in finding a different path to adulthood.

Timothy Munguci from Uganda
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 12:50- 13:10 IST

Once bullied for not fitting into the regular educational system, Timothy now champions young creatives, offering them the chance to break free and explore careers in music production.

Shrishail from India/Pune
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 13:15- 13:35 IST

Growing up in a slum, his schoolteacher sparked a passion in him for reading books. This broadened his perspectives and opened up many opportunities to learn and engage in meaningful work. Now, he dreams of inculcating this same love for books among the youth of slum communities in the city of Pune.

Vocal women (15:00- 16:10)

Powerful voices of change are tackling the hardest challenges, from violence in war zones to safety and equality for women in Africa.

Solange Ndip Tanyi from Cameroon
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 15:00- 15:20 IST

Solange experienced rape at a very young age and faced stigma from the village elders. She is now ready to call herself a survivor and supports other women who have suffered like her by helping them instilling strength for a better tomorrow.

Susanna Tiwonge Simango from Malawi
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 15:25- 15:45 IST

When her father lost his job, Susanna’s family was forced to move from the city to a rural village without electricity. Now she is empowering women with skills in clean energy solutions, improving their lives and transforming entire communities.

Teopista Nyachwo from Uganda
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 15:50- 16:10 IST

Teopista faced limited opportunities due to societal norms and financial strains. After early motherhood and losing her husband at a young age, she was left with no option but to start a business on her own. Now, she empowers other women in similar situations, demonstrating how urban gardens can transform lives.

Environment counts (16:40- 17:50)

From ecological hubs to digital warriors fighting oil spills and turning organic waste into resources, these passionate change-makers are tackling environmental challenges with innovation and purpose.

Caren Anyango Jobita from Kenya/Kisumu
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 16:40- 17:00 IST

Her journey began in the Nyalenda Slum, where rotting waste and polluted rivers were daily companions. Sickened by the filth and ashamed of her home’s reputation, Caren learned everything about transforming organic waste with the help of insects.

Jethro Christopher from Nigeria
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 17:05 - 17:25 IST

Growing up in a village that suffers from oil spills, Jethro is on a mission to empower youth with digital skills to amplify their voices against environmental pollution.

Maria Juliet from India/Tamil Nadu
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 17:30 - 17:50 IST

From a young age, Maria Juliet had a love for animals and plants. After pursuing a career in biotechnology, she and her husband decided to follow their passion for protecting nature. In 2019, they founded Meahlvanam, an organization dedicated to protecting biodiversity and restoring habitats.

Disability and change (19:30- 20:40)

Join three pioneers in action, envisioning a world in which disability means opportunity. Learn about innovations for those who have embraced their limitations.

Enoque de Carvalho from Angola/Luanda
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 19:30 - 19:50 IST

When his brother Matheus became paraplegic due to an accident, Enoque was motivated to provide a future for him and other disabled young people. The inaccessible public transport system in Angola sparked the idea of planning a taxi service by and for persons with disabilities.

Sijo Varghese from India/Kerala
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 19:55 - 20:15 IST

At the age of nine, Sijo’s childhood ended abruptly due to a life-altering accident that left him paraplegic. The years that followed were marked by struggles, worsened by a lack of proper rehabilitation. Sijo plans to start an organization that assists victims of accidents in early and holistic rehabilitation.

David Wayi from Uganda
Date 13-12-2024, Time : 20:20- 20:40 IST

Growing up in Uganda in the 90s, David experienced the tragic loss of a childhood friend with disabilities who was brutally killed during a rebel attack. The fact that David was not able to help him keeps pushing him to work for and with persons with disabilities.

Program

kanthari TALKS Day Two - Saturday 14-12-2024

Breaking chains (11:00-12:00)

Youth justice reimagined. Three visionaries from India, Kenya, and Uganda share their vision for giving young people in conflict and/or contact with the law a second chance and a brighter future.

Mala Sonawadekar from India/Mumbai
Date 14-12-2024, Time : 11:00 - 11:20 IST

As a lawyer visiting a childcare institution, Mala saw many children sharing a similar longing for affection. For Mala, rehabilitation means providing a nurturing environment, helping children make better decisions for their future.

Maria Aminat Opolot from Uganda
Date 14-12-2024, Time : 11:25 - 11:45 IST

During her pro bono work as a lawyer, Maria failed to keep her promises to help a youth in his case. Thus, today, she dedicates herself to child protection and seeks to improve the juvenile justice system in Uganda.

Anne Gloria Achieng from Kenya/Kisumu
Date 14-12-2024, Time : 11:50- 12:10 IST

Born in a slum and living in a dysfunctional family, Gloria met all conditions to become sidetracked. But she found her way back, studied psychology, and is now ready to help those children in detention centres who could have once been her childhood friends.

Bridging communities (12:35- 13:50)

An insight into tribal conflicts, daily violence in slums and in war and peace building methodologies

Eric Mwenge from DRC
Date 14-12-2024, Time : 12:40 - 13:00 IST

It was Christmas 2012 when Eric was kidnapped and tortured by his own government, which was suspicious of his actions as a human rights activist and peace builder. To spread the Ubuntu peace philosophy of non-violence in his region, Eric co-founded CEEDECO, a community-based organization that builds peace using narrative theatre as a tool.

Gabriela Zambrana Méndez from Bolivia
Date 14-12-2024, Time : 13:05 - 13:25 IST

For more than 20 years, Gabriela has worked extensively in different areas with youth in conflict with their families, schools, and the law. Having experienced child labor and abandonment, through her organization, ENLA-C she is committed to preventing and reducing violence against children.

Blaise Ngwanoh Ngwana from North-West Cameroon
Date 14-12-2024, Time : 13:30- 13:50 IST

Imagine being in a war zone, where when the shootings start you should run, but what is you cannot hear. Blaise is hard of hearing and is eager to empower the hearing impaired to be safe and survive.

Testimonials

kanthariTalks is an inspiring platform that showcases powerful stories of change-makers who turn challenges into opportunities for social impact. Each talk motivates and empowers viewers to take action for a better world

kanthari TALKS is an event I recommend joining;
A unique opportunity to get inspired by change-makers
who come from the margins of society and who
present their solutions for a better tomorrow.

Narayana Murthy

founder Infosys

kanthari TALKS was a turning point for me. I first attended kanthari TALKS a few years ago and it was an exceptional experience – educational, emotional and inspiring; all at the same time. The ‘dream speeches’ of kanthari participants transported me to many different countries and communities, exposed me to deeply rooted social issues and reminded me of the incredible power of human spirit and will. It is an event without any boundaries; equally meaningful to everyone – students, professionals, social change makers, entrepreneurs, policy makers and absolutely anyone else too. I am eagerly looking forward to kanthari TALKS 2022!”.

Ms Priya Joshi

Former Managing Director ,HR

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kanthari Intake

Are you a change- maker?

You know the change society needs… We just give you the tools…

Do you carry a plan to make a difference within your community and are you looking for a leadership training course to acquire the necessary skills? Then check out the kanthari Curriculum and apply to become a participant in the next kanthari course that starts in April 2025. Apply today at www.kanthari.org/admission

Since 2009, 280 participants from 55 countries were trained at the kanthari campus in Trivandrum, Kerala, India.


This has resulted in more than 180+ social initiatives and organisations that are creating a positive impact in the lives of thousands of people within their communities and therewith contributing to a more peaceful world, every day.

At kanthari our aim is to annually train 20 – 25 leaders:
The course is a final stop before starting an own organisation / venture /NGO or social enterprise.
If you are selected, a scholarship will be provided.

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